# Opinion: Is Turkey regretting its intervention in Libya?

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2020/04/opinion-is-turkey-regretting-its-intervention-in-libya/
- Published: 2020-04-16T18:22:17+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

Since launching a military campaign in Libya on the side of the Government of National
Accord (GNA), Turkey has hardly believed that the main obstacle to achieving a decisive
victory has become the inertia of its Libyan ally. But, as it turns out, the Tripoli
government, led by the prime minister Fayez Sarraj, is not yet ready to assist the
Turks in further actions against [**Khalifa Haftar’s**](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/opinion-is-turkey-regretting-its-intervention-in-libya/military.africa/2019/04/libya-rebels-and-haftar)
Libyan National Army, but has also put the achievements of the military operation
made so far as risk.

According to well informed sources, who asked for anonymity, Ankara has faced a 
number of insurmountable problems related to inaction or sabotage from the GNA. 
At the moment, the main issue that significantly jeopardizes the implementation 
of the Turkish plan is the unwillingness of the armed groups controlled by the Tripoli’s
authorities to join the battle.

Moreover, Sarraj-led government itself demonstrates a reluctance to step up the 
offensive against the LNA. According to the sources, despite calls by the international
community for a humanitarian truce, Turkey put the pressure on Sarraj to make him
launch a large-scale offensive in early April in order to repulse Haftar-led troops
from the western and southern suburbs of the capital Tripoli.

However, the Libyan prime minister, citing the threat of coronavirus spread and 
lack of medical care, did not give Ankara the green light to resume offensive operations.

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Obviously, Sarraj’s refusal caused huge resentment within the Turkish authorities
that has allowed the GNA ground forces a pivotal role in defeating the LNA.

As a result, the Turks had to abandon a planned large scale offensive and intensified
its air raid campaign with a [wide usage of assault drones](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/opinion-is-turkey-regretting-its-intervention-in-libya/military.africa/2019/09/drone-war-in-libya-wing-long-ii-versus-bayraktar-tb2)
in what it was named later **Peace Storm operation.**

According to the sources, Ankara’s frustration was also caused by** **the fact that
the GNA’s leaders, especially prime minister Fayez Sarraj and his deputy Ahmed Maiteeq,
the informal representative of the Misurata military council, do not live up to 
its expectations.

There is a growing understanding in Turkish political and military circles regarding
the weakness of the GNA in the face of Haftar’s pressure that has weakened Sarraj’s
capability to control his loyalists amongst the militia leaders.

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The latest example to demonstrate the loss of influence on the militants was the
Libyan prime minister’s refusal to provide the Turks a new runway for launching 
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) inside the greater capital area.

Another sources close to Tripoli’s authorities claimed that the commander of the
Turkish forces in Libya personally asked Fayez Sarraj to provide a new site that
could be used as an alternative to Mitiga Airport because of its vulnerability to
the LNA airstrikes and shelling. However, Sarraj ignored the Turkish commander’s
request. Sarraj, as it became known later, could not reach an agreement with the
leaders of the armed groups to allow the Turkish military access to areas potentially
suitable for launching and landing drones. Probably, the militia leaders refused
to offer controlled areas to be used by Turks for military purposes for fear of 
becoming a target for Haftar’s airstrikes.

In addition, the sources denounced that local armed groups regularly loot warehouses
storing weapons and military equipment supplied by Turkey as part of support for
the GNA. This fact accordingly leads to frequent shortages of ammunition and supplies
during clashes. At the same time, the absence of any significant weapons reserves
has a direct impact on the morale of those groups currently involved in the clashes
alongside Turkish instructors and Syrian mercenaries.

It is clear that Sarraj’s passivity is costly for Ankara. While the unwillingness
of the Libyan authorities to provide necessary infrastructure for operating the 
UAVs [makes it easier to shoot them down, ](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/opinion-is-turkey-regretting-its-intervention-in-libya/military.africa/2020/04/libya-lna-deploys-new-portable-counter-drone-weapon)
the refusal of local factions to fight the war is killing an increasing number of
Turkish military and Syrian mercenaries. According to the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, the number of Syrian fighters killed in Libya reached 182.

Apparently, a year after an active interference in the North African country, Turkey
started to realize that its plans went really wrong. Ankara did not expect the GNA
and its leaders to appear such useless allies so the Turkish military in Libya has
up till now nothing but regret.

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